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Sichuan Earthquake Relief
In the wake of the Sichuan earthquake on 12 May 2008, ING in Asia initiated a global fundraising programme by setting up a dedicated relief fund to help earthquake victims. Within one month of the disaster, more than USD 850,000 was raised through a combination of corporate and employee donations, and dollar-for-dollar matching from ING Group.
With a week of the disaster, some USD 370,000 had already been disbursed to immediate relief for the provision of shelter, food and medical supplies via the Red Cross, UNICEF and local NGOs in China.
Pacific Antai Life Insurance Company (PALIC), ING’s Shanghai-based joint venture with China Pacific Insurance Company, and the Shanghai Charity Foundation signed an agreement to establish the PALIC Special Charity Fund, which is committed to offering material and psychological support to children orphaned or disabled as a result of the earthquake.
Almost 7,000 schools were completely destroyed and another 3,000 school buildings suffered partial damage in the affected provinces. An education assessment mission organised by the Chinese Government concluded resumption of formal classes is a top priority for children to get back to a sense of normalcy.
With this in mind, by June 2008 ING had disbursed a further USD 160,000 to build 65 school tents and 40 school-in-a-box kits via UNICEF, which helps 3,250 students restart their schooling with the necessary teaching and learning materials.
 
Children attending school in a UNICEF tent classroom in the city of Mianyang, in one of the areas hardest hit by the earthquake.
Given the scope of the destruction, it will take at least three years before the educational infrastructure is rebuilt. While the government and agencies are starting to formulate long-term plans for recovery, ING will utilise its remaining funds for long-term reconstruction of children’s education facilities.
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